Chapter Summary: When the one-on-one battles are ready to begin, the remaining competitors must ready themselves to face their opponents.

"Last round, you watched as the top four teams went head to head," Present Mic announced, "but now, they'll be competing as individuals in one-on-one combat! This final event will be the one to bring us our champion!"

Katsuki cast a look over the crowd of remaining competitors, his eyes falling onto Shitty Hair's silhouette as he pumped his fist excitedly. He felt the corner of his lips twitch up and slid his hand over his mouth.

'So it's come down to this again, has it?' he thought. 'Looks like we're sticking to the tried and true formula.'

The Sports Festival always changed the format with each year, he knew. He had watched it enough times to know to expect the unexpected. Still, one thing that was consistent for a majority of the years was the desire to put the students up against each other, forcing them to strategize against their foe's strengths and weaknesses. Thankfully, the last couple of rounds had granted Katsuki the opportunity to do just that.

"The matchups will be decided by drawing lots," Midnight explained, holding up the lots in question, "once that's settled, we'll move onto the festivities for the competitors who didn't qualify before going right into the tournament! Now, you competitors can participate in the festivities, as well, but it's not mandatory." Then, she cleared her throat. "Now, let's start with the–"

A hand shot up above the crowd of students. "Um… Excuse me, but… I would like to drop out."

Katsuki's head whirled towards the source, his eyes wide. It was one of his classmates– the guy with a giant tail. His peer's head tilted downwards when everyone's eyes fell onto him and he withdrew his hand.

"I know my team qualified," he acknowledged, "but I have no recollection of my participation… So I can't say I feel as though I qualify for this tournament. I can't feel proud of something I have no memory of."

Everyone began to murmur around him and his head ducked further down. Meanwhile, Katsuki just stared at him silently. While there was some part of him that thought the fool was being idiotic by throwing away such an opportunity, he couldn't say that he didn't understand where he was coming from. Besides, he didn't want to run the risk of going up against someone who felt they hadn't earned their place.

"You're certain you want to step down?" Midnight questioned. Her eyes flickered to the crowd briefly before settling back on him. "Are you sure?"

Tail simply nodded back at her. "I know it's probably stupid to some of you… But everyone here made it here on their own strength and merit. If I can't speak to my own strengths, then I can't stand in a slot better suited for someone else. Call it my pride, but… I have to do it."

"Ojiro, you're thinking too hard about it," Pinky spoke up, "don't you think you'll regret doing this?"

" Oi , let him do it!" Katsuki barked out before he could stop himself. Once he felt everyone's eyes on him, he grimaced, but didn't falter. "If he says he wants to step down, let him step down! No need to get all teary-eyed over it."

He crossed his arms over his chest and scoffed. Even if it was a stupid decision on his part, Katsuki wasn't about to lose his head over it. Whoever he wound up going up against was going to lose anyway.

"I want to withdraw, too," called out another voice, drawing forth more gasps. Katsuki's eyes slid over to the short, pudgy form of a boy he didn't recognize. Was he from 1-B? He couldn't remember, nor did he care. "This is a contest of skill…. And since I didn't use mine during the last round, then I can't continue forth in the competition. It's disrespectful to the spirit of the game."

"Whoa," Shitty Hair breathed, "that's… damn, dude, that's pretty manly to say!"

Katsuki wouldn't say it out loud, but he could definitely agree with that sentiment. He may not have won first place in the cavalry battle, but he had at least given it his all. Anyone who made it through without doing so was just wasting his time.

"What a strange turn of events," Present Mic commented, "what's your call, Midnight?"

Midnight regarded the two boys with a steely gaze. "So… you want to step down because of your pride, do you? Well, I could easily say that's naive, but…" Her lips pulled up into a smile and she cracked her whip. " I respect it! Your withdrawal from the competition has been approved!"

"She respects it?" Pinky repeated.

Sparky shrugged. "It's her call. Not gonna argue with it."

While Midnight prattled on about who would replace Tail and Shortstack, Katsuki's gaze went over to Pink Cheeks and Deku. The last he had seen her was back in the hallway, when they were listening in on Deku's conversation with Icyhot. As if her being there weren't bad enough, she just had to step out from their hiding place and confront the fool after he had spilled his guts about his family drama. Thankfully, it seemed to have lessened his likelihood of being caught, but even so, Katsuki wasn't pleased; it just made everything so much messier.

'Didn't see Icyhot in the cafeteria,' he thought, his eyes trailing over to his form. 'Then again, I didn't stick around there for very long… Too many idiots making too much noise for me to eat in peace.'

"Alright!" Midnight proclaimed, snapping him out of his thoughts. "Shiozaki and Tetsutetsu will be joining in on the competition, bringing our count back up to 16! Now, onto the matchups!"

The screen popped up once again, revealing a horizontal-laying bracket list. Katsuki didn't have to search long to find his name at the far-left corner and he squinted.

"Shinsou," he read aloud. His eyes slid across the crowd until he spotted wild, purple hair and he frowned. Was that Dark Circles' real name? He still wasn't sure. "Hm."

The tired-eyed boy turned to regard him, his expression unreadable. "Bakugou, eh? You looking forward to our match?"

Just as Katsuki began to open his mouth, however, he felt something wrap around his head. He sputtered when he felt fur press against his nose and lips.

"Don't answer him," a voice ordered. With a blink, Katsuki turned to see Tail standing there, though he wasn't looking at him; he was staring hard at Dark Circles. "Trust me on this."

Dark Circles said nothing. His expression remained that same mask of neutrality, which both intrigued and vexed Katsuki. He turned away from the pair and tucked his hands into his pockets. When he began to walk away, people parted for him to pass by, their faces betraying their unease.

In an instant, Katsuki grabbed a hold of his classmate's tail and yanked it off of his face. "The fuck , dude? Why'd you put that on my fucking mouth? "

Tail's brows furrowed. "I was just trying to–"

"Save it!" he snapped. Katsuki pushed the tail away and stalked off. "I don't wanna hear it, extra! "

Thankfully, his competitors had the grace to step out of his way. He vaguely registered Midnight announcing the beginning of the festivities over the microphone, but he couldn't find it in himself to care.

'Dark Circles said he wanted a war,' he thought, making his way through the exit, 'well, it looks like the universe has decided to give him one… Let's see what he's got.'

"Looks like I'll be going up against you, Midoriya," Tsuyu stated. She tilted her head. "I know we were teammates last round, but you shouldn't expect me to go easy on you."

Izuku smiled at her. "I wouldn't want you to. Let's give it our all, alright?"

"Part of me feels like I should say some trash talk," she told him, "but I don't think it'd fit the moment very well."

A small laugh bubbled out of him, but it was quickly cut short by a gasp from Uraraka. "Uh-oh… Please tell me I'm reading that wrong…"

Confused, both Izuku and Tsuyu turned to look at the bracket board. It wasn't until they got to the very end, in the far right corner, that Izuku felt his eyes widen.

"Todoroki?" he murmured. Uraraka's shoulders slumped forward and he swallowed. "Oh… That's, uh…"

"You say you don't want to be like your dad, but aren't you acting like him by treating someone as a prop just for your own gain?"

"Yeah," he finished, realizing there wasn't much else he could say to comfort her, "that's… pretty unfortunate."

Her arms draped around her stomach anxiously. "That would be my luck, wouldn't it? Is it too late to ask for them to redraw?"

"I don't think they'll do that," Tsuyu answered. A small ribbit rumbled in her throat. "Good news is your battle is the last one for this round. Gives you some time to figure out a strategy."

A shudder ran down Uraraka's entire body. "I don't know if strategy is going to save me here…"

Izuku's brows furrowed with worry. While the optimistic part of him wanted to believe that Todoroki wouldn't allow their conversation to play a factor in his performance, it would be foolish for him to pretend it didn't have an impact on his classmate. He had declined their offer for him to join them at the cafeteria, which he supposed he couldn't fault him for, and he had been noticeably missing for the rest of the break. Despite everything he had said and done, Izuku couldn't help but feel concern for him.

'He probably needed to take a breather,' he thought, recalling the way his classmate's normally steady tone had grown so shaky by the end of their conversation, 'I mean… what else do you do after telling someone all of that?'

When Izuku first saw Todoroki's scar, he had automatically assumed it to come from an accident that had to do with his Quirk. Coupled with his refusal to use his fire, that theory proved to be the most reasonable, and he never felt the need to have it confirmed; it wasn't his business. But, now that he knew the real reason…

'I just hope his dad doesn't bother him,' he prayed silently. He'd be an idiot to ignore the fact that Endeavor was in attendance at the Sports Festival– you could see his flames from a mile away. 'I think that's the last thing he needs right now.'

"The fuck , dude?" exclaimed an all too familiar voice. Izuku reeled around to see Kacchan glaring daggers at Ojiro, his classmate's tail in his grasp. "Why'd you put that on my fucking mouth? "

Ojiro's brows furrowed. "I was just trying to–"

"Save it!" he snapped. Kacchan pushed the tail away and began to storm off. "I don't wanna hear it, extra! "

Confused, Izuku waited until his childhood friend had stepped out of earshot before daring to go over to Ojiro. He pointed his thumb at him. "What was that about?"

A small, resigned sigh escaped his peer. "I was just trying to warn him about Shinsou… No good deed goes unpunished, I suppose."

"'Warn him?'" he repeated. Izuku's eyes trailed over to Kacchan, who had already made it to the exit, then flitted back at Ojiro. "You mean… About that thing Shinsou did during the last round?"

Ojiro pursed his lips. "He did it to you, too?"

Izuku nodded. "Yeah… It was only for a little bit, but it was still pretty spooky. I can't imagine being stuck like that for an entire round…"

"It was…" Ojiro tried to say, only to trail off. He shuddered and shook his head. "It wasn't good , that's for sure. I'm sorry it happened to you. I wouldn't wish it on anyone… Not even Bakugou, despite him being a jerk."

"Yeah," Izuku replied, rubbing his arm anxiously, "sorry about him. He can be a bit… touchy about people trying to help him." He shrugged. "But I guess that's Kacchan for you."

The corner of Ojiro's mouth pulled up into a small smile. "Guess I won't take it personal then… I suppose we'll just have to see how their battle turns out." Then, he chuckled. "I kinda hate that I'm stuck rooting for the guy who mouthed off to everyone in our grade, though."

Izuku snorted. "Yeah, I can't really argue with that… But if I know Kacchan, then I'd say Shinsou's in for a pretty rude awakening."

His eyes scanned the field until he spotted the head of purple hair. While everyone else was talking amongst themselves, Shinsou stood off by himself, his face lacking any expression. It was hard to get a read on him from looks alone– and Izuku definitely wasn't about to risk talking to him, not so soon after the last round. Still, he couldn't shake the questions that had started plaguing his mind since their fateful encounter…

"Now, let's set aside some time for our students to have some good old-fashioned fun!" Midnight proclaimed, causing him to jump with surprise. She raised her whip high above her head and cracked it. "It's time for the festivities! "

The students cheered and began to separate. Some went ahead and departed from the field, like Kacchan had, while others crowded around Midnight to listen to her explain the rules of the first game. He turned towards Ojiro.

"I gotta go take care of something before my match," he told him, "you take care, alright?"

Ojiro's smile grew. "Will do… And thanks, by the way."

Izuku blinked. "For… what?"

"For being so… I don't know, nice," he told him, "I haven't had a chance to say it, but I think a lot about what you said after our first battle simulation. Really gave me a boost when I was feeling down on myself." He shot Izuku a thumbs up. "You're a good guy, Midoriya."

Despite the heat that threatened to creep up his cheeks, he found himself smiling back at him. "Thanks… You're a pretty good guy, too."

With one final nod, he made his way over to the exit. Some part of him acknowledged that he was leaving without telling Uraraka or Tsuyu goodbye, but he didn't want to run the risk of them asking questions and holding him up. He had questions of his own that needed answering.

Toshinori stared hard at his protege. "You saw what? "

He searched Midoriya's face for any hint of deceit or mischief, but when he saw none, he settled back into his seat with a frown. The waiting room felt far too cool for his liking and the subject at hand certainly didn't help with his discomfort. Midoriya let out a heavy sigh and leaned against the table, propping himself up with his elbows.

"I know it sounds crazy," he admitted, "but I swear , that's what I saw. One second, I was looking at the field and the next, there were these figures surrounding us… It was the spookiest thing."

An involuntary shudder ran down Toshinori's spine. "It sure sounds like it… Do you know how many there were? Do you think it has to do with Shinsou's Quirk?"

"That's the thing," Midoriya told him, "I noticed there were about seven or eight of them… But what really freaked me out was the fact that one of them looked… Well, it looked a lot like you ."

"Me?" Toshinori blurted out. "That… That's a bit alarming to hear, young Midoriya."

Midoriya's brows furrowed. "I know… But it made me wonder… Were those figures maybe like you in some way? Like… Maybe they were the past users of One for All?"

Almost instantly, the smiling visage of his own mentor flashed across his mind, causing him to go very still. He rested his hand against his heart without thought and stared hard at the young boy.

"You saw them?" he murmured. "You're sure? "

His protege blinked. "Wait… Are you saying you've seen them, too?"

"When I was young," Toshinori answered, causing Midoriya to gasp softly, "my mentor told me it was a sign that One For All was starting to become more acquainted with you. They're the traces of their spirits and will, bound to the Quirk that we share."

When he had first told his mentor of the vestiges, she had smiled and wrapped her arm around his shoulders. "Welcome to the club, kiddo. Here's to hoping you don't see me there anytime soon."

He cleared his throat. "But you don't have to worry about them… They can't directly interfere with or influence what you do."

"So… I broke out of Shinsou's control all on my own?"

"So it would seem," he affirmed. When Midoriya didn't appear convinced, he smiled at him reassuringly. "Trust me, my boy. You've gotten this far into this competition based on your own efforts."

Midoriya snorted. "That, and I got lucky ."

Frowning, Toshinori reached across the table and flicked his nose. "Don't downplay your performance. You've done an incredible job with the cards you've been dealt." While the boy rubbed the affected appendage, he leaned back in his seat and arched a brow. "Don't you remember what I told you the day you got your Quirk?"

He had expected him to reply with the answer. He had expected him to admit he didn't remember. However, what he didn't expect was for him to drop his hand from his nose and pull a face that Toshinori had seen only in his reflection or in photos of himself.

"Eat this!" he replied. Toshinori stared at his changed expression and… God, that was uncanny. How had he learned to do that? It was down right eerie.

"Ah, no," Toshinori amended, still unsettled. "I mean before that."

With a single blink, his protege's face went back to normal, which caused the tension to leave Toshinori's shoulders. Midoriya let out a small hum of thought and put a hand over his chin.

"I… don't know," he told him, "we talked about a lot that day, so it's kinda hard to keep track…"

Toshinori exhaled. That was right; they had a very lengthy conversation about the origins of One For All and the trials that had accompanied it for generations. He supposed it made sense that it would take the forefront of Midoriya's focus.

"I told you that there was a difference between being lucky and being deserving," he clarified, causing him to blink, "One is an accident, but the other is a reward. And that it was important not to get the two confused."

"Oh," Midoriya replied, "that… sounds familiar, now that I think about it. But when I also think about it, some of the stuff I've pulled have only worked in my favor by total accident, like the bomb trick I pulled back on the obstacle course or grabbing the ten million points from Todoroki. I was hoping they would work, but it wasn't entirely on purpose –"

Another flick on the nose left him sputtering into silence. "You're thinking too hard about it, my boy. Taking a risk and having it work out doesn't mean you haven't earned your place in the competition." While Midoriya rubbed his nose again, he reached for his hair and gave it a small ruffle. "Now quit overthinking it, my prince of nonsense."

Midoriya chuckled. "Okay, that's a new nickname I haven't heard yet."

"Well, it's true," Toshinori affirmed, withdrawing his hand. He rested his elbows on the table and leaned forward. "You have to have some faith in yourself, kid. Being mopey isn't going to help you become a hero." His lips pulled up into a knowing grin. "Your egg isn't cooked already, is it?"

In an instant, Midoriya's head snapped up. "The egg! Oh, I completely forgot– I didn't tell you what my mom told me!"

Toshinori blinked. "Oh, that's right. She said she had figured out something about the egg in the microwave. What was it?"

(He wished that he could have heard from her himself, but a frantic call from Present Mic had pulled him away right as they arrived in the cafeteria. It had turned out to be nothing, in the end; just the boba he hadn't gotten the chance to order. At the very least, the jasmine flavor tasted good.)

"It was before the cavalry battle," Midoriya began, resting his elbows on the table. He held out his hands and began gesturing as he spoke. "My mom decided to put something in the microwave so it would be ready by the time the lunch break started. But, when the battle was over, she went to go check and she realized that it hadn't cooked right. She was worried that the microwave was busted– which I don't blame her for, that thing is mega old. I think we should get a new one at some po–"

"Young Midoriya."

"Right! Sorry. Anyway, she realized that the microwave plate had gotten jostled, so it wasn't sitting right and wouldn't spin. So it was just stuck." He held up an index finger. "My mom was so annoyed that she was going to have to recook it since it only heated up a section of the food, but then she realized: that's what my problem's been! I've been acting like my arms or legs are holding the egg and I'm the microwave heating them up, but they're not ."

Toshinori leaned in. "They're not?"

"No," Midoriya answered, " I'm the egg!"

"You're what? "

Midoriya nodded excitedly. "Yeah! See, I've been visualizing it all wrong! I kept imagining the egg in the microwave being stuck in its shell, but that's not right. The shell is what makes it so risky– the heat in the microwave is too fast for it to release it through the shell's pores. But, if you take the shell out of the equation and just let the egg sit on a plate, it won't explode!"

His brows furrowed in confusion, Toshinori tilted his head. "I'm afraid I'm not catching on… You already have control over One For All and are able to summon it with little issue. What exactly is the visualization change going to help you accomplish here?"

"I said the same thing to Mom," Midoriya admitted, "but she pointed out that while I've got the control aspect down, my timing still has been suffering. Which it has been." He held up an index finger. "That's why I had to have people like Tsuyu and Tokoyami on my team to help with our defenses and long-range attacks to keep us from getting pummeled."

"Ah," Toshinori acknowledged, though the crease in his brow didn't entirely fade, "but isn't it the same metaphor?"

Midoriya flattened his hand out, then tilted it back and forth. "Kinda. See, I've always imagined that I'm the microwave holding the egg and I have to keep the shell from cracking… But, then my mom told me that if the egg is cracked open and flat on the plate, then you don't have to worry about it getting heated up and bursting out of its shell. And you wanna know why?"

Toshinori leaned in expectantly. "Why?"

Midoriya grinned. "Because it's being heated evenly throughout."

He splayed his hands on the table and pushed his seat back. Curious, Toshinori watched as he stood up and stepped away from his chair. Once it was pushed in, Midoriya walked over to the empty space by the table and readied his stance.

"I'm not holding the egg anymore, Sensei," he told him, his smile bright.

Then, that all-too familiar crackle of energy entered the air and Toshinori gasped aloud. He watched as both of Midoriya's fists became aglow with the power he himself shared and tracked its progress while it ran up his arms, making its way up his neck. The space between them felt electric as Midoriya cracked his eyes open and peered at him, his teeth grit in a determined smile.

"Oh my god," Toshinori murmured, his hand slipping to his lips, "you… you are the egg."

Midoriya laughed. "I am the egg!"

As the energy in the air decreased and Midoriya's muscles lost their tension, Toshinori shot out of his seat. He grabbed the boy by his shoulders and drew him close.

"You're the egg!" he exclaimed. "Oh my god, your mother was right! We had it all wrong!"

"I know!" Midoriya cheered. He gazed up at him excitedly and rested his hands on top of Toshinori's. "I thought I was supposed to be the microwave, but I'm supposed to be the egg! I don't have to worry about breaking the shell anymore!"

Another laugh rattled out of Toshinori and he shook his head in utter disbelief. "Thank the heavens for your mother… She's an absolute godsend ."

A loud knock brought their attention to the door. Simultaneously, they glanced at each other from the corner of their eyes and regarded the other quizzically. Still dubious, Midoriya turned towards the door and cupped his hand around his mouth.

"Who is it?" he called out.

In an instant, the door came flying open and they collectively jumped backward from one another. Toshinori clutched his chest as he regarded the intruder, only to stop and blink.

"Mom?" Midoriya blurted out. "What are you doing here?"

Mrs. Midoriya rushed over. "The first match is about to start, Izuku! We have to hurry if we–"

Then, she paused, her eyes settling on Toshinori's form. She blinked with surprise, then shrank down sheepishly.

"Oh," she said, "sorry, I… didn't realize you were talking to your teacher."

"It's quite alright," he assured her, though his heart had yet to stop racing. Toshinori smoothed down his breast pocket before withdrawing his hand and cleared his throat. "Young Midoriya was just telling me about what you discovered."

Mrs. Midoriya tilted her head. "Really? I… didn't think you'd be so invested." She waved a hand. "I-I mean, I know you're his teacher and everything, but it's just surprising, is all."

"O-Oh, yeah," Midoriya stammered out, "Sensei Yagi knows about the egg metaphor because I told him during training one day. You know, so he could figure out how to help."

Not necessarily a lie– he had told Toshinori during training, but it was before he had even tried out for U.A., let alone became a student there.

"How'd you find me, anyway?" Midoriya asked. "I thought only students or faculty could come down here."

Mrs. Midoriya smiled. "I ran into your homeroom teacher on his way to the commentator booth. He told me that you'd probably either be in the student seating section or in your waiting room before your match. I figured I'd head down here first."

Midoriya's eyes widened. "You talked to Sensei Aizawa? "

"I did," she replied, which made him gape. Mrs. Midoriya giggled at his expression and waved a hand. "Relax, Izuku! I didn't tell him anything embarrassing, just that I wanted to make sure we could watch the match together." Then, she gasped and clapped a hand over her mouth. "Oh, I forgot why I came in here! Katsuki's match is due to start any minute now! We need to hurry if we want to watch it!"

"Oh, you're right!" Midoriya exclaimed. He searched the room frantically. "What time is it? Are we going to make it to the stands in time to–"

Toshinori set a hand on his shoulder, silencing him. "I think I have a better idea, Young Midoriya."

"Huh?" Midoriya said, blinking in confusion. "What do you mean?"

He couldn't help himself from smiling at them both. "How would you two like to get an up-close view of the match?"

"Alright, kiddos!" Present Mic cheered. "You've been through hell to get to this point, but now it's time to put the pedal to the medal! You ready for the first battle of this round?"

The crowd's cheers were a dull roar while Hitoshi stood in the hallway. While he had been determined to get far in the competition, that had done little to prepare him for the ability to stand just yards away from the arena. He had watched countless Sports Festival over the years– it still felt so surreal to know he had become a participant in it.

As soon as Cementoss departed from the arena he had molded, Present Mic's voice kicked back on. "Alright, alright, alright! You guys ready to see your first set of competitors? 'Cause here they come!"

Taking that as his cue, Hitoshi stepped out of the shadows and shielded his eyes with his hand beneath the harsh sunlight. Encompassed by the rising volume of the crowd, he let out an exhale; there was no turning back now.

"We got Katsuki Bakugou from the hero course stepping onto the field!" Present Mic announced. "He may have gotten fourth place in the standings last round, but let's not forget this dude took first place in the obstacle course! Let's see how he tries to redeem himself in this match!"

Hitoshi squinted under his hand and there, he spotted Bakugou, strolling up the stairs with ease. His hands were tucked into his pockets– not unlike when he first took the stage to give his speech. When his crimson eyes fell on Hitoshi, the corner of his lips pulled up into a cocky smirk, which only made Hitoshi's eyes narrow. He dropped his hand from his face to properly face his opponent and held his stare.

"And here, we've got Hitoshi Shinsou from general studies!" Present Mic went on. "We may not know a lot about this guy, but he still managed to surprise us by going up against Midoriya the Merciless last round! Wonder what kinda trick he has up his sleeves for the Braggadocious Bakugou!"

"'Braggadocious'?" Bakugou barked, staring up ruefully. " Oi , who're you calling braggadocious, Loudmouth?!"

Hitoshi snorted. 'Not exactly a fan of the truth, are we?'

"The rules are simple!" Present Mic explained. "Win by knocking out your opponent, immobilizing them, or getting them to cry for uncle– that is to say, 'I give up!' And don't you kids be afraid to bring the pain! We got Recovery Girl on standby for a reason. But, just know: although you can fight dirty, literally going for the kill is grounds for disqualification! Your fists should only fly when you're going up against villains!"

Something twisted in Hitoshi's gut upon hearing that. He tried his best to ignore it.

"'I give up,' huh?" he drawled, his eyes never leaving Bakugou. When confusion painted his opponent's face, he chuckled. "You get it, Bakugou? This battle is a test of your will… If you've got any kind of vision for your future, then don't bother about worrying how you'll get there."

Bakugou cocked his head off to the side. " Huh? Whatcha blatherin' on about?"

"Now, let's get this party started! " Present Mic proclaimed. "Readyyyyyyyy!"

Hitoshi smiled at him, unable to keep it at bay. "Looks like we're in the same boat, you and I… neither of us could best Midoriya, could we?"

"What?" Bakugou blurted out. "The fuck are you tryin' to say? "

"Start!" Present Mic finished.

"Well, isn't it obvious?" Hitoshi went on. "I got third, you got fourth… Meanwhile, Midoriya took the gold in the last round." He shrugged his shoulders and chuckled. "I wonder if he'll do the same for the rest of the tournament once I take you out of the ring?"

A loud, near-feral growl escaped his opponent. "Oh, I'll show you who's getting knocked out of the–"

Then, just as he began to charge forward, he stopped in his tracks. Hitoshi merely smiled and shook his head– he knew that he'd take the bait. He was too prideful not to have.

"Hey, hey, what's going on here?" Present Mic questioned. "The match just started! Where's that fighting spirit from Bakugou we've been seeing these past two rounds?" The PA system emitted a small crackle. "I mean, look at him! He's practically frozen!"

Hitoshi's smile only grew. 'It may not be as powerful or flashy as Todoroki's ice… But I'd argue this is a trap you can't blast your way out of that easily, Bakugou.'

Ever since their fateful conversation all those weeks ago, he hadn't been able to get Bakugou's out of his head. Never did he think that someone would take up such precious space in his mind, let alone someone so loud and annoying. However, when he first confronted Class 1-A, he had never expected to be confronted with such a resolve.

"You may think that you're the top dog of your class, but here at U.A., you're starting at the bottom with the rest of us," his voice would repeat off and on, "you'll have to work to get to where you wanna be."

Some prideful part of Hitoshi had been offended when he heard that– who was this jerk to tell him that he hadn't been working to achieve his dreams? He had fought tooth and nail to get through the trials that were thrown at him, but in the end, it didn't matter; his Quirk meant very little to the will of machines. He may as well have been a Quirkless child, left prone and helpless to the chaos around him.

And then, in the midst of the noise, Bakugou came into the fray. It would have been impossible to miss him even without his explosions– he was laughing like a madman the entire time. At first, Hitoshi thought it was because he had a couple screws loose, but when he saw the smile spread across his face, he realized that it was just the sheer thrill of it all. Then, he was gone as quickly as he came, jumping to send another round of blasts onto an unsuspecting robot.

Hitoshi wasn't surprised when he saw him in Class 1-A. Although it had only been their first week, Bakugou was slouched in his seat, already at home within his classroom. However, what had been a surprise had been what he said.

"Just 'doing well' isn't enough ," he had snapped, "some people are willing to settle… But I'm going to be fighting to get to the top." He could still recall the way his crimson eyes bore holes into Hitoshi. "And I won't have my victory undercut by someone who isn't trying to do the same."

There was something… sobering about the way he had said it. When he learned that Bakugou had taken first in the entrance exam, he had assumed that it was a habit for Bakugou to take home such titles. But the way he carried himself, the way he spoke, the way he looked right into him made Hitoshi reconsider. Those were not the words of someone who wanted to win for the fun of it; it was someone who knew the weight of what loss was.

'You don't like to lose,' Hitoshi admitted to himself, watching Bakugou's still form, 'but I think you're more afraid of winning without earning it.'

"This is unprecedented, my esteemed audience!" Present Mic told the crowd. "Despite having flown under the radar for a majority of this competition, Shinsou has managed to keep Bakugou glued to the spot! Just who exactly is this kid? And how is he this scary?!"

Hitoshi took a deep breath. "It must be so nice to be blessed, Bakugou… To hold such power at your fingertips… To be able to change the course of a battle with a simple move… But that power means nothing now."

Bakugou said nothing. He just stood there, still unmoving. Hitoshi reckoned it was time to change that.

"Now," he began, raising his hand, "turn around… and walk out of bounds."

The crowd let out a collective gasp when Bakugou turned himself around. Hitoshi couldn't keep himself from chuckling and crossed his arms over his chest. It may not have been as grand as sending gales with a single flick of his finger or catching an opponent mid-air with his tongue, but it was still his power. Maybe once Bakugou was out of the ring, people would learn to respect it for the threat it was.

Katsuki was going to kill Tail for not being more forthright. In the time it took for him to put his stupid tail on his face, he couldn't have quickly thrown in a, "Hey, this dude can brainwash people"? Just what was the point of being discreet? It wasn't like the idiot could compete anyway, considering he chose to step out.

'Dammit…' he thought, his entire body feeling heavy like sand. Katsuki's vision was out of focus as he drew closer to the edge of the arena. 'That bastard… tricked me…'

As blurry as things felt in his head, he vaguely recalled the way Deku had clapped his hand over his mouth after sending out that attack during the cavalry battle. He had gestured for his teammates to stay quiet and they all followed suit– had Dark Circles done it to him, too? Had that been why he had done that? And had he kept it a secret in hopes that it would take Katsuki out of the running?

Oh, he was going to kill that nerd.

'Talking…' Katsuki realized. 'That's how… he does it…'

There had to be a way to break out of it. Deku could break out, so that meant that he could break out, too, dammit. He couldn't let it end here, not right after a humiliating showing in the last round. Think , he had to think .

'Can't… focus…'

Katsuki willed his body to do something, anything to show that he had some control of his facilities. However, his willful cries fell on deaf ears, so his feet continued to trudge forward towards the boundary line. He could barely register the fact that he was breathing– had he really lost control of everything? Just what kind of a power was this?

"No matter what happens today," his mother's voice whispered, breaking through the noise, "I just want you to do your best, okay?"

Katsuki's next breath came in shakily. Dammit– she had been right, hadn't she? She had known that he was going to go up against something that he couldn't power his way through and now, he was about to lose because of it. He hated that he was going to prove her right.

He blinked mindlessly and stared at the entrance to the field that he came in through. The dark hall drew closer with each step he took, confirming the shortening length of time he had before the match was done and over with. Perhaps that old saying was right, in a way: the world didn't end with a bang, but rather, a whisper. Was Katsuki's world going to end the same way? In forced silence with his autonomy robbed from him?

Then, with another blink, he caught onto a familiar silhouette. Even with his vision growing blurrier and more unfocused by the second, he could recognize that pink cardigan from miles away.

'Auntie…?' he thought, his gaze latching onto her. 'But how…?'

"I told her you were training hard for U.A.," he recalled hearing his mother say, months before the entrance exam., "she says she's proud of you."

Katsuki stared so hard at Auntie Inko, he hardly registered the fact that his hand had begun to shake. With his next step forward, he could see the light peeking into the hall illuminate her worry-stricken face, her eyes shining. Her hands were clasped in a prayer and he watched her lips move.

"C'mon, Katsuki," he heard her murmur. Or maybe she was speaking normally, but he just couldn't hear as well? It was hard to tell. "C'mon, baby. You can do this."

Heat exploded from his palm, knocking the breath out of him. Katsuki went flying backwards and he stumbled onto his back, his gym clothes dragging against the arena floor. All at once, his senses came back to him, flooding his ears with the sound of the roaring crowd and Loudmouth's voice.

"Holy smokes, folks!" he exclaimed. "Bakugou has managed to break out of Shinsou's control! Man, what a turnaround– one more step and he would have been out!"

Katsuki gasped for air and sat up, his shoulders heaving with each breath he took. He stared down at his smoking hand and exhaled a weak laugh. Well, looks like he had been wrong: he could blast his way through this.

"How…?" he heard a voice choke out. Blinking, Katsuki turned to see Dark Circles standing there, his eyes wide and his hands shaking. "Y-You shouldn't have been able to move! What snapped you out of it?"

In an instant, Katsuki's head snapped back to the entrance and he couldn't stop the crooked smile that spread across his face. Although she was far away, he could see Auntie Inko jumping up and down in glee, her hands clasped in front of her face. He hoped she wasn't crying– he didn't like seeing her cry.

"Say something, why don't you?" Dark Circles snapped, causing the smile to drop from his face. Katsuki looked over his shoulder to see his opponent clenching his fists. "You've always got something to say, don't you? Where's that Braggadocious Bakugou you've let us all see these past two rounds?"

A growl rumbled out of his throat, but he forced his mouth shut. He couldn't fall for his goads, not when he just broke free of his control. Planting a hand on the arena floor, Katsuki turned his body around and sprang himself up from the ground, allowing him to face Dark Circles head-on. He readied his stance and opened his palms. God , he was going to enjoy making this idiot scream.

Dark Circles grit his teeth. "So you've got that much power in one hand, huh? Color me jealous! I wouldn't know anything about that– I wasn't born blessed like you ."

Katsuki pointed his hands behind him and jumped forward, allowing the momentum from his explosions to push him forward. Quick to react, Dark Circles dodged his coming attack and leaped off to the side. He slid into a crouch and braced himself by clutching the arena floor.

"There's no gateway to success for someone like me," Dark Circles went on, "not with a Quirk like mine! But I doubt you would understand that, huh?"

His foot slid on the concrete and Katsuki turned on the ball of his feet, allowing him to spin back around to face his opponent. He sent out another round of blasts and flew across the arena to close the distance between them, but once again, Dark Circles dodged him. He dropped into a roll and ducked beneath Katsuki's form.

"No, people born with perfect Quirks like you could never understand!" he snapped. With a grunt, he forced himself up from the ground. "The entrance exam is made for people like you to shine– that's why you got first place, isn't it?"

Katsuki ceased his explosions and came to a stop. As much as he wanted to scream at him to just shut up and fight , he knew that was what he wanted. He couldn't give into his temptations, not when it had landed him in hot water and nearly cost him the match. He had come too far for it to end here. So, he decided to forgo his instincts and charged forward on foot, a shout rising in his throat. Dark Circles' eyes widened and he scrambled to get out of the way, but Katsuki wasn't having it and grabbed a hold of his collar. He reeled his fist back and contemplated whether or not he should add an explosion into the mix.

"I saw you, you know," Dark Circles told him, causing him to blink, "at the exam… I saw you take out those robots like they were nothing ." Even with Katsuki staring him down, he shook his head and chuckled, albeit humorlessly. "I didn't get a single damn point… And now, I'm going up against you. Like that's fair ."

Then, a switch punch to the gut knocked the air out of him. As he gasped for breath, Dark Circles wrenched his hand from his shirt and kicked at his legs, knocking him backwards. Katsuki snarled through his wince and staked his fist in the concrete to gather his bearings.

"You say that we all start at the bottom at U.A.," Dark Circles said, stopping to take a breath. He wiped his forehead and glared at him ruefully. "But we don't . They say that all men are created equal, but our Quirks sure as hell aren't. You were born to be a hero, but all people will ever see in me is a villain ."

Katsuki's body sprang forward before he could stop himself and he tackled Dark Circles by the mid-section. Hoisting him up over his shoulder, he grit his teeth and gripped his opponent by his shirt.

"Shut…" he ground out, sucking in a deep breath, "the fuck up!"

With all his might, Katsuki chucked Dark Circles off of him, sending him flying across the arena. His opponent screamed in terror and clawed helplessly at the air, but his efforts proved to be wasted when he came tumbling out of bounds. His back arched upward in pain as soon as he hit the ground and he gasped for air, his eyes clenched shut. A loud crack of the whip drew Katsuki's attention to Midnight, who held her arm out to the side of her.

"Shinsou is out! " she announced. "Bakugou takes the match and will advance to the next round!"

The crowd erupted into cheers and Katsuki felt the tension leave his shoulders. He watched as Dark Circles rolled over onto his stomach, propping himself up on shaking forearms. With a deep, heaving breath, he pushed himself up, but struggled to stand. It wasn't until he was nearly in front of him that Katsuki realized he had closed the distance between them.

"Oi," he huffed, causing Dark Circles to blink up at him, "c'mon. Get up."

He crouched down to meet his level and offered his hand out. Dark Circles stared at it for a long moment, his gaze unsure. With a gruff sigh, Katsuki grabbed him by his bicep and hauled him to his feet.

"Don't read too much into it," he told him, ignoring the bewildered look on his face. As soon as he was certain that he could stand, Katsuki jerked his hand back. "You just looked stupid down there."

Dark Circles snorted. "I guess I should count myself lucky that you just knocked me out of bounds, huh?"

Katsuki nodded, but said nothing. He wouldn't put it past the weirdo to try something now that the match was over. Dark Circles seemed to realize what he was thinking, because he laughed.

"Not going to fall for my tricks again?" he questioned. When Katsuki remained silent, Dark Circles shot him a grin. "Figures… You catch on quick, at least."

Then, his smile wilted and something in his gaze shifted. He glanced up at the crowd and sighed heavily, his arms crossing over his chest.

"So much for making an impression," he murmured, "I guess I can kiss my dream of going to the hero course goodbye…"

"Don't be so dramatic ," Katsuki responded. When Dark Circles regarded him in confusion, he scoffed. "You're the only kid outside of the hero and support course to make it this far. You may not have won, but you did your damnedest. Counts for something in my book."

A softness entered the boy's gaze. "You think so, huh? I guess I should take that as a compliment, coming from you."

"Not a compliment ," he retorted, "just a statement, is all." Then, he slipped his hands into his pockets. "But if you want to hear something useful, then I suggest you listen up: you can't be a Pro if you only have one trick."

Dark Circle's brows furrowed. "Meaning…?"

"You got a neat gimmick there," he admitted, which made him blink, "mind control ain't a bad power to have… but on its own, you leave yourself wide-open for attacks. Goading ain't always going to help you." Katsuki slipped one of his hands out and poked him in the chest. "So get some new tricks. Might help you out."

"'New tricks'?" Dark Circles repeated. "Like… what?"

The corner of Katsuki's lips quirked up into a half-smile. "There's this girl from the support course that was on my team last round. Don't know her name, but trust me, you'll know when you see her. Betcha she could find you something to work with."

Then, he stepped aside and walked past him, ignoring the way his opponent's eyes followed him. He raised his hand, extending out his index and middle finger to press against his forehead and sweep it outwards in a laissez faire salute.

"Try talking to Sensei Aizawa," he called out, not turning back, "he would probably have some pointers for you, too. His Quirk isn't combat-heavy, but he's still pretty badass– he's the guy you need to talk to."

He thought back to the U.S.J., when his teacher first leaped into danger to face the oncoming threat. Within a matter of moments, he had incapacitated a number of villains, knocking them into each other and slamming them to the ground with ease. Katsuki had always thought his scarf was a weird accessory, but now that he knew that it was actually his weapon, he couldn't help but think how cool it was. As much of a drone he could be in class, Aizawa was still a Pro– plain and simple.

'And to come back to work like nothing happened…' he thought, his eyes sliding to the commentator booth, 'makes you pretty damn cool in my opinion.'

Not that he would ever tell him that; he was sure his teacher wouldn't care for it, anyway.

"Bakugou." Katsuki paused in his step and turned to regard his peer over his shoulder. "I… Thanks. For taking me seriously… I'm not used to it."

He scoffed. "Well, you better get used to it. If you get transferred into my class, then you're going to have to learn how to go up against people who know what a threat you are. Otherwise, you'll wind up like Grapehead."

Dark Circles's expression was bemused. "What?"

"He's the extra who got expelled," he explained, shrugging his shoulders, "never liked him anyhow. I say good riddance." Katsuki nodded his head at him. "I'd argue you're a pretty good replacement, though I guess that ain't sayin' much."

There was something unexpectedly soft in his tired eyes. "You… really think I could get transferred?"

Katsuki shrugged. "Don't know. All I do know is that U.A. has a way of surprising you." His eyes trailed back to the exit. "See you around, Shinsou."

"What was that?"

Rolling his eyes, Katsuki sighed. "Oi, I said –"

Then, his mind entered that fog and he went still. As his senses began to grow dull within the static that overtook his mind, he heard a chuckle.

"You know, I could easily mess this up for you," Shinsou told him, "but I'm not going to… So just do me a favor and win this thing so I don't look like an idiot for losing to you."

Katsuki just barely registered the sound of withdrawing footsteps and he wished he could scream . As he silently cursed, he willed the gods to allow Shinsou to be transferred over to his class– maybe that way, he'd get the chance to give him a proper beatdown.

It took an incredible amount of self control for Inko not to go running onto the field when the announcement of Katsuki's win was broadcasted across the stadium. When she saw her nephew making his way to the boundary line, she had been so scared that his first run at the Sports Festival would come to an unceremonious end– thankfully, he proved her wrong. Such a shame he had to scare her so badly before he did, though.

"That was intense ," Izuku breathed beside her, "I was so worried he'd step out of bounds…"

"Looks like he snapped out of it," Yagi commented. The beginnings of a smile spread across his lips and he chuckled. "Should have figured… He has already shown himself to be very strong-willed."

Inko snorted and wiped her cheek. "You don't know the half of it."

A small tap on her forearm drew her eyes to her son, who peered at her apologetically. "Um, listen… I have to head to the waiting room before my match starts in a bit. Will you be alright if I go?"

"Of course," she replied instantly. Inko patted his shoulder and smiled. "I'll make sure to congratulate Katsuki on your behalf. I'm sure he'll understand."

Something unidentifiable shifted in his gaze, but it was gone just as quickly as it came. Izuku offered her a smile and nodded before turning on his heel. He waved at the pair while making his way down the hall, his form dissipating into the darkness. It wasn't until he was gone that Inko let her smile drop.

'They haven't been spending time with each other lately,' she thought, trying her best not to frown, 'I hope everything is alright between them…'

Mitsuki had confided in Inko that Katsuki had been struggling a bit. Although he wouldn't disclose what it was that was bothering him, her friend was certain that something had been going on to make him act so off. Inko had chalked it up to the U.S.J. attack– from what she heard from Izuku, he had gone head-to-head with one of the lead villains. Still, she couldn't help but worry for him; he was still just a kid.

"Auntie," a familiar voice greeted. Inko whirled around to see her nephew step past the threshold, the sunlight illuminating his sweaty face. He let out a small exhale of disbelief. "I thought that was you back there."

Inko beamed at him. "Katsuki, you did so well! I'm so proud of you!"

He smiled at her. "Thanks, Auntie… It's good to see you. It's been a while, what with school and all."

"Oh, don't you worry about that," she reassured him. Inko slipped her hands to his biceps and gave them a squeeze. "Look at you! You've gotten so big and strong! Bet it's because of all that training you do, isn't it?"

A laugh rumbled out of him. "I try my best."

"And it shows!" Inko affirmed. She pulled him into a hug, her chin slipping onto his shoulder. "Congratulations, baby– you made it to the second round!"

His arms wrapped around her in kind and he hugged her tightly. " Man , you shoulda told me you were comin'... I didn't know you were gonna be here today."

She chuckled. "Oh, I didn't, either! I ran down here because I had to tell Izuku something– nothing bad, I swear!" Still smiling, Inko withdrew to look at his face. "It's a long story… But I'm here now. And I'm so glad I got to see you win in person."

The smile on his face grew, but then, with a simple glance off to the side, it quickly disappeared. His eyes widened and he stared, his lips parting in shock.

"Oh, don't mind me!" Yagi exclaimed, and it was then that Inko was swiftly reminded of his presence. The man waved his hand as he rubbed the back of his head nervously. "Pretend I'm not here!"

Even in the dark lighting of the hall, Inko could see a light dusting of pink brush across her nephew's cheeks. He sputtered for a moment, which made her slide a hand over her mouth and giggle.

"Oh, Katsuki, it's okay!" she told him. She rubbed his arm in reassurance. "It's not the end of the world for someone to see you being sweet with your aunt!"

Katsuki's blush darkened and his eyes cut towards her. "Auntie."

"It's quite alright, young Bakugou," Yagi said, though it didn't appear to convince him. He clasped his hands in front of him and smiled warmly at him. "You have nothing to be embarrassed of, my boy. It's natural for your family to be supportive. I think it's quite sweet, really."

" Oi , what're you–" Katsuki began to shout, only to stop still with a simple squeeze from Inko.

"He's right," she concurred. Inko nodded her head at Yagi with a bright smile. "Besides, you should be thanking him! He's the one who brought us down here to watch the match."

Katsuki arched his brow. "'Us'?"

"Izuku was here, too," she told him, which made him blink. Her smile weakened just a bit. "He had to run and go get ready for his match in a bit, but he wanted to congratulate you. Hope you're not mad at him for leaving."

There was something unreadable within her nephew's expression. "No, it's… I'm alright."

She tilted her head. "Are you sure? You're not upset he left so soon, are you?"

"No!" he exclaimed, then flinched at his own volume. Katsuki sighed and shook his head. "Sorry… Just tired, I guess. I think this last round just took a lot outta me."

Inko patted his arm. "Oh, that's alright… Why don't we stop and get you something to drink? Consider it my treat for you making it to the next round."

Katsuki snorted, but the smile on his face let her know it was good-natured. "You ain't gotta spoil me, Auntie."

"No, but I want to," she countered. Her hand slid down his arm to his hand and she clasped it warmly. "C'mon! I hear there's a boba stand in the courtyard. You still like boba, don't you?"

"I do, I do," he replied, rolling his eyes playfully, "but let's not go overboard– I don't want to make myself sick before the next round."

She laughed. "No, we wouldn't want that."

"I can accompany you two, if you'd like," Yagi piped up, drawing their attention to them. He pointed at himself and grinned knowingly. "Teachers kinda get a fast pass during the festival. One of the perks here at U.A."

"Perfect!" Inko tugged on Katsuki's hands. "Lead the way, Sensei!"

Yagi did just that, and Katsuki fell into step with her after him. Although she unclasped her hands from his, he slipped his hand onto her shoulder, resting it there while they walked. Inko glanced at him from the corner of her eye and her heart lifted when she saw him smiling softly. She didn't know what it was that he had been going through for him to struggle like Mitsuki said, but at the very least, she was glad to know that just being there for him had helped.

'Maybe Izuku can join us after his match,' she thought, the idea making her practically beam, 'I think that'll be just what they both need.'

A/N:

(during the match)

Inko: Oh no! What's going on out there? Why is he doing that?!

Izuku: (tries not to sigh) That's what you get for being a butthole, Kacchan...

Inko: What?

Izuku: Nothing!

Toshinori: (internally) he's not *wrong*

(after the match)

Hagakure: Ojiro? You doing alright?

Ojiro: (clenches his fist and looks down at it intensely) *Retribution.*

(after Shinsou left the field)

Katsuki: (fuming) stupid fucking idiot, who the fuck does he think he-

(spots Inko standing in the hallway)

Katsuki: Auntie :^) My Auntie is here.

So, fun fact: Inko was actually not going to be in the hallway in the first draft of this chapter. I almost had her in the stands, but I thought it would be a fun reference to how Toshinori was there during Izuku's match in the canon storyline. That, and I wanted an excuse for Katsuki to actually bond with his aunt, since I haven't had the chance to do that yet. (It tickles me to think about him drinking boba with his aunt and his teacher, okay)

And don't worry, folks- I know we only got into one of the one-on-one battles this chapter, but we'll be covering more ground in the next chapter! and trust me, the shake-ups are going to keep coming in this arc. I'm very excited about this arc and what kind of impact it'll have on future events in this au!

Until next time~!